By Ceylan Yeginsu
At the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard on the west coast of France, MSC World America is the latest mega cruise ship to near completion. Scheduled to cross the Atlantic in March, the vessel will be based in Miami, where it will offer Caribbean itineraries and take on the likes of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas and Carnival’s Celebration.
Like its massive competitors, the 1,093-foot-long ship towers 22 decks high, and is packed with dining venues, lounges and bars, and what has become the usual array of over-the-top features, including a sprawling water park. The MSC World America will also have an overwater swing ride and an 11-deck-high dry slide.
But what the Swiss, family-run MSC company hopes will really set the World America apart is the European influence on the ship’s design, its restaurants, activities and service. There will be Swarovski crystal stairs, a Mediterranean-inspired promenade, Italian marble details, as well as fresh croissants, authentic mozzarella and pasta, and artisanal coffee from Lavazza, an Italian company.
In the United States, MSC World America will be joining three smaller MSC ships that already sail out of New York, Miami and Port Canaveral in Florida.
The World America is modeled after the MSC World Europa, which currently sails out of Marseille, France, but around 30% of America’s space has been redesigned to cater to American passengers.
I recently took a tour of the nearly complete World America, followed by a three-day cruise on the Europa, where I got a taste of what Caribbean-bound passengers will soon experience on its sister ship. Here are my takeaways.
The space
When it makes its debut in Miami in April, MSC World America will become the world’s eighth-largest cruise ship, accommodating nearly 7,000 passengers. The scale and scope of the ship can be felt in the open-air promenade, the location of the vessel’s centerpiece — an 11-deck-high slide. The stern of the ship is Y-shaped, allowing room for more balcony cabins and sweeping sea views.
In contrast, the interior promenade, called the “Galleria,” which is spread over three levels and includes shops, restaurants and bars, felt a lot like a shopping mall. Sitting at some of the venues on the Europa’s promenade, I found it easy to forget I was at sea.
The World America will be divided into seven districts, which will offer various experiences and help distribute passenger movement throughout the decks. At the very top of the ship, the “Family Adventura” district will have waterslides, a ropes course, bumper cars and roller rinks, among other features. There will be an “Aqua Deck” with the ship’s two main swimming pools, and a separate “Zen” adults-only area with more pools and hot tubs.
On the World Europa, some decks have endless rows of lounge chairs designed for Europeans, many of whom enjoy basking in the sun for hours. On the World America, some of these areas will be transformed into places where guests can eat, drink and take part in activities.
Food and entertainment
With 19 dining venues, there will be options for seemingly everyone, including two main dining rooms and two casual buffets. The extra dining packages include six specialty restaurants. Among the new restaurants is one run by Eataly, a popular Italian-food business, as well as a Greek taverna, a sports bar and grab-and-go counters.
An MSC favorite, the Raj Polo teahouse, will be swapped out for an adult-only comedy club, a nod to American culture.
MSC hasn’t received the best reviews for its entertainment, particularly among American cruisers accustomed to shows with a “wow” factor. According to MSC, one issue is catering to the many languages of its European passengers. The entertainment offered on World America will be adapted for an American audience.
Cabins
There will be 19 cabin types, ranging from basic interior rooms to luxury suites within the MSC Yacht Club at the front of the ship. There are also options for balcony rooms, including ocean views and connecting family rooms.
Interior cabins for the new ship’s seven-night sailings will start at $689 per person, ocean views at $839 per person, and suites at $2,115 per person.
Crew
With such different service cultures in Europe and the United States, it could be a challenge for crew members to strike a balance on the World America. In Europe, service is typically more formal, with crew members less inclined to engage in chitchat, which can come across as cold and rude to an American.
“We are recruiting certain personality types and training our crew to be friendly, outgoing and conversational,” said Bernhard Stacher, the senior vice president of shipboard hospitality operations. “Good service is good service anywhere, across all our ships; it can just be a bit different when it comes to interactions.”
Environmental concerns
Following record demand for cruising in the wake of the pandemic, major cruise lines have been building larger ships, a trend that environmental groups say undermines the industry’s long-term sustainability goals.
MSC refutes those claims, saying that energy efficiency and sustainability are at the core of the company’s shipbuilding mission. The company says it has reduced its carbon footprint by nearly 40% between 2008 and 2023, and is on track to reach net zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.
Indeed, the World Europa had the lowest carbon footprint of any large cruise ship at the time of its delivery in 2022, according to the International Maritime Organization’s Energy Efficient Design Index. MSC says World America is on track to perform even better, with more efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and improved hydrodynamic performance of its hull.
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